# Battle for the Paddle

The Battle for the Paddle is an American college football rivalry game played between the Texas State Bobcats and the Nicholls Colonels. The rivalry began between the two schools as an in-conference rivalry, first in the Gulf Star Conference and then the Southland Conference. The name for the rivalry originated as a result of a game postponement during the 1998 season. Prior to the game, heavy rains flooded San Marcos, Texas and the field at Texas State. Athletic directors and coaches from both schools decided to postpone the game and coined the annual contest the "Battle for the Paddle," joking that fans and athletes needed to use a boat and paddle to get to the game. The game eventually took place on November 28, 1998, with Texas State prevailing 28–27 to win the Paddle Trophy.
Nicholls head coach and offensive guru Charlie Stubbs brought controversy to the rivalry in 2011, when he refused to bring the Paddle Trophy to San Marcos due to Texas State having a scholarship advantage as an FCS transitional school, stating "we ain't bringing the damn thing." Texas State won the Battle for the Paddle 38–12. Since Texas State's ascension to the FBS, the teams do not meet as frequently. The two teams met in 2019, with Texas State winning 24–3. The next scheduled meeting will be in 2025.
Nicholls leads series 16–15.

## Game results

| Nicholls victories | Texas State victories |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 1 | October 4, 1980 | Thibodaux, LA | Nicholls State | 24–21 |
| 2 | September 18, 1982 | San Marcos, TX | Southwest Texas State | 14–7 |
| 3 | November 10, 1984 | San Marcos, TX | Nicholls State | 30–14 |
| 4 | October 26, 1985 | Thibodaux, LA | Nicholls State | 20–12 |
| 5 | October 25, 1986 | San Marcos, TX | Nicholls State | 35–21 |
| 6 | October 24, 1987 | Thibodaux, LA | Southwest Texas State | 31–16 |
| 7 | October 29, 1988 | San Marcos, TX | Nicholls State | 13–10 |
| 8 | October 21, 1989 | Thibodaux, LA | Nicholls State | 22–21 |
| 9 | September 29, 1990 | San Marcos, TX | Southwest Texas State | 33–30 |
| 10 | September 28, 1991 | Thibodaux, LA | Southwest Texas State | 19–10 |
| 11 | October 3, 1992 | San Marcos, TX | Southwest Texas State | 38–13 |
| 12 | October 23, 1993 | Thibodaux, LA | Nicholls State | 63–37 |
| 13 | October 22, 1994 | San Marcos, TX | Southwest Texas State | 27–26 |
| 14 | October 21, 1995 | Thibodaux, LA | Southwest Texas State | 35–25 |
| 15 | September 21, 1996 | San Marcos, TX | Nicholls State | 49–36 |
| 16 | October 11, 1997 | Thibodaux, LA | Nicholls State | 29–28 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 17 | November 28, 1998 | San Marcos, TX | Southwest Texas State | 28–27 |
| 18 | October 9, 1999 | Thibodaux, LA | Southwest Texas State | 16–0 |
| 19 | October 7, 2000 | San Marcos, TX | Southwest Texas State | 25–0 |
| 20 | October 27, 2001 | Thibodaux, LA | Nicholls State | 33–14 |
| 21 | October 19, 2002 | San Marcos, TX | Nicholls State | 24–21 |
| 22 | November 6, 2003 | Thibodaux, LA | Texas State | 13–0-forfeit |
| 23 | November 13, 2004 | San Marcos, TX | Texas State | 35–12 |
| 24 | October 29, 2005 | Thibodaux, LA | Nicholls State | 32–29 |
| 25 | November 4, 2006 | San Marcos, TX | Nicholls State | 21–19 |
| 26 | November 10, 2007 | Thibodaux, LA | Nicholls State | 52–28 |
| 27 | November 15, 2008 | San Marcos, TX | Texas State | 34–10 |
| 28 | October 17, 2009 | Thibodaux, LA | Texas State | 34–28 |
| 29 | October 16, 2010 | San Marcos, TX | Nicholls State | 47–45 |
| 30 | October 1, 2011 | San Marcos, TX | Texas State | 38–12 |
| 31 | September 28, 2019 | San Marcos, TX | Texas State | 24–3 |
| Series: Texas State leads 16–15 |||||